The University has no plans at this time to penalize a fraternity which Oconee County authorities said was engaging in a hazing ritual.

The Athens-Banner Herald reported Friday five Sigma Beta Rho brothers were discovered after midnight Tuesday by an Oconee County sheriff’s deputy off Frontage Road in what was determined to be a hazing ritual.

Lt. David Kilpatrick, the Oconee County sheriff’s chief investigator, told the following to The Red & Black Friday:

While a deputy was on patrol, he spotted vehicles on a dead end road. It was about 38-40 degrees outside. He stopped and investigated the incident, calling the tag numbers on two or three cars. There were about six subjects involved and two were being initiated into a fraternity and had gallon milk jugs of water and soaked one down with water, the other wasn’t as wet as the other one.

We identified everyone. The two were willingly going along with the initiation. Deputy contacted first responders to make sure it wasn’t a question of hypothermia. The two refused the medical attention and we forward info to University of Georgia Police Department.

If you don’t have a willing victim, there’s no investigation. If they were willing to come forward, the other boys could have been charged with a misdemeanor for hazing. Vick Green was the officer who found them. They hid in woods until he got on his PA system. They said they were outside for an astrology course, viewing the skies. Officer discretion to take someone to jail or not over a misdemeanor. “We’re peace keepers out there all the time.”

A spokesman for the fraternity told the Banner-Herald the five brothers needed to be outside to “pay respect” to fraternity brothers around the country who have died at a young age.

Oconee County didn’t file any charges against the fraternity, but did give information to University Police, who forwarded it to the University’s Greek Life office, University police Chief Jimmy Williamson told the Banner-Herald.

According to the University, it “does not condone hazing in any form. Hazing is defined as any intentional, negligent or reckless action, activity, or situation which causes another pain, embarrassment, ridicule or harassment, regardless of the individual’s willingness to participate.” But the Banner-Herald reported an official in the Greek Life office said there was no evidence the fraternity violated University rules.

“We are working cooperatively with the fraternity with regard to the issue,” Greek Life adviser Lamar Bryant told The Red & Black. ” We are trying to get a full understanding of what occurred and are still in process of investigating. We have been provided with info from proper authorities, been working with them as well.”

Red & Black staff writer Shanessa Fakour and The Athens Banner-Herald contributed to this report.